What’s in all that tear gas we’ve been selling Egypt?

Much of the tear gas used on Egyptian protestors apparently comes from …

If you've been watching any coverage of the Egyptian protests, you've no doubt seen the tear gas plumes as canisters are shot at protestors—often to be picked up and hurled back moments later. Many of those tear gas containers falling on the bridges and streets of Cairo aren't local products, however; they come from Jamestown, Pennsylvania, home of Combined Tactical Systems.

Several reporters in Egypt have commented on that fact this week. ABC News ran a story on the gas today in which it quotes a protestor saying, "The way I see it, the US administration supports dictators."

It's no secret that Egypt is one of the largest recipients of US foreign military funding, much of which is designated to purchase US-made weapons; it's just that Americans don't often see Egyptians holding empty tear gas canisters stamped "Made in USA" up to a TV camera.

But what's in those canisters?

A wide array of shiny new canisters

The US government requires most chemical compounds to have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) outlining the ingredients, the risks of contacting those ingredients, and cleanup procedures in case of an accident. Combined Tactical Systems helpfully makes puts these MSDS files on its website.

The tear gas grenades and canisters are largely filled with a fuel mixture that burns to disperse the tearing agent. The Model 5220 CN Smoke grenade (PDF), for instance, has a small starter mixture of potassium nitrate, silicon, and charcoal. This in turn in used to light the "CN smoke"—a form of tear gas.

The CN smoke is 71 percent fuel, made up of potassium chlorate, magnesium carbonate, nitrocellulose, and… sucrose. The other 29 percent of the smoke is the tearing agent, chloroacetophenone, which has been around for nearly a century and causes severe irritation of the mucous membranes. (Combined Tactical Systems also sells the commonly used "CS smoke" tear gas version, which is powered by chlorobenzalmalononitrile.)

A tear gas cartridge spec sheet

Both kinds of tear gas have a "pungent odor," according to the MSDS. Those handling them should wear a "full face respirator with organic filter cartridge" and should "wash thoroughly after handling."

That's because, as the protestor went on to tell ABC, "Your eyes tear up a lot so you can't see, and you feel like you're suffocating. You can actually breathe but you feel like you are suffocating so you try to run, but when you run you inhale more."

As the MSDS puts it, rather more clinically, the gases cause "tearing of eyes, irritation of respiratory tract and mucous membranes," and asthma may be "aggravated by exposure."

I find it amusing that mock suffocation is valid crowd control, but mock drowning is torture.

It's not the simulated act that's frowned on but the situation. When CS is deployed it's intended to encourage people to disperse in order to get away from the effects of the gas. Their usually afforded the opportunity to leave but, as is the case with most riots, they choose to stay. Waterboarding, by comparison, offers no actual escape. You're tied to the board and you'll stay there until your torturer is done.

The chemistry nerd in me liked this. The US citizen in me isn't such a fan of providing weapons throughout the world. Curious that the company's website is "less-lethal.com", which seems to imply that there's still something pretty damn lethal about their products. So how many people die from these?

Also: Someone needs to invent "joy gas" containers. Fill 'em with THC or something. If you can't keep protesting, you might as well be having a good time rather than a bad one (ok chocolate and kittens would work I guess)

The chemistry nerd in me liked this. The US citizen in me isn't such a fan of providing weapons throughout the world. Curious that the company's website is "less-lethal.com", which seems to imply that there's still something pretty damn lethal about their products. So how many people die from these?

It's a rare example of truth in advertising. There's no such thing as a non-lethal weapon; anyone trying to claim otherwise is a moron or works for marketing. At close range rubber bullets can stop the heart, or cave in the thinnest parts of the skull. Tasers can kill people with weak hearts. A gas that significantly reduces your ability to breathe can kill people whose lung capacity is extremely marginal to begin with; being hit with the grenade itself can do bad things as well.

It is massively irresponsible to print an article mentioning direct US military aid to Egypt without mentioning the reason why. In March 1979, Anwar Sadat signed the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty, becoming the first MENA country to legally recognize the existence of Israel. In exchange, the United States provides significant (~$1.3 Billion annually) resources in support of the current Egyptian regime (Mubarak). Whether this is good or bad is an entirely different issue which I have no interest in discussing on the internet. But this must be included in the article.

The chemistry nerd in me liked this. The US citizen in me isn't such a fan of providing weapons throughout the world. Curious that the company's website is "less-lethal.com", which seems to imply that there's still something pretty damn lethal about their products. So how many people die from these?

No one has ever died directly from riot control agents. Hell I'm a CBRN guy in the Marines and the worst that has happened with guys that walk into a fully saturated CS chamber is they cough and snot a lot. Really the only way a human being could die from this stuff is if it replaced all the oxygen in the air.

It is massively irresponsible to print an article mentioning direct US military aid to Egypt without mentioning the reason why. In March 1979, Anwar Sadat signed the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty, becoming the first MENA country to legally recognize the existence of Israel. In exchange, the United States provides significant (~$1.3 Billion annually) resources in support of the current Egyptian regime (Mubarak). Whether this is good or bad is an entirely different issue which I have no interest in discussing on the internet. But this must be included in the article.

I recognize the existence of Israel too... can I have my billion dollars plox?

EDIT:I'm guessing (and hoping), those dudes kicked over some security personnel and got their hands on some unused tear gas grenades - thus the unpulled pin in the grenade in the picture.

The chemistry nerd in me liked this. The US citizen in me isn't such a fan of providing weapons throughout the world. Curious that the company's website is "less-lethal.com", which seems to imply that there's still something pretty damn lethal about their products. So how many people die from these?

No one has ever died directly from riot control agents. Hell I'm a CBRN guy in the Marines and the worst that has happened with guys that walk into a fully saturated CS chamber is they cough and snot a lot. Really the only way a human being could die from this stuff is if it replaced all the oxygen in the air.

There was a scene in Generation Kill, both the book and the movie, where an older man in Iraq was hit in the back of the head with a canister and killed.

I find it amusing that mock suffocation is valid crowd control, but mock drowning is torture.

You find it amusing because you're dumb. Tear gas is used to disperse crowds. Waterboarding is used to torture people. In addition, the psychological effects of waterboarding are much more severe than those of inhaling tear gas.

I wonder if the Americans who make these tear gas canisters have any appreciation for the end result of their use.

When I was getting ready to graduate from college, most of the jobs available to engineers involved working for defense contractors. I refused to take this path because I did not want to participate in the creation of weapons that are used to oppress and kill other people. Such is not the mark I wish to leave on this world for day that I meet my maker.

Getting tear gassed has been on my list of things to do before dying for a long time.

No idea *shug*

That's easy, just arrange to be in a major college town or certain NFL/NBA cities the night the home team wins a championship. During the "Fab-Five" era of UofMich Basketball, tear gas was such a regular occurrence the night of the final-four semi-final that the local surplus store had a sale on masks advertised for "people going to the library." I still have mine (nice Israeli model, much better than the Russian crap they had for less). It probably doesn't make the Egyptians feel any better, but they should know that the local constabulary in this country use the same stuff on students celebrating sports victories. Not that one excuses the other.

Hey Jiibus, I too have never heard of anyone in basic dying directly due to CS gas, but you have to also consider who is going through the chambers. You aren't a soldier if you can't run two miles, and I know civies that can't run period. Its a fact in my books that the military is comprised of the healthiest people in this country. I would bet my bottom dollar more than one in ten 80 year olds would die from said exposure to riot control gases. And one last bit: we soldiers wear gas masks and only briefly remove them in the presence of the gas. Imagine being in the center of a crowd of a few thousand with no clear route out when the grenades start going off. Panic leads to hyperventilation, and I sure as hell wouldn't want that when my lungs are saturated with concentrated smoke.

Hey Jiibus, I too have never heard of anyone in basic dying directly due to CS gas, but you have to also consider who is going through the chambers. You aren't a soldier if you can't run two miles, and I know civies that can't run period. Its a fact in my books that the military is comprised of the healthiest people in this country. I would bet my bottom dollar more than one in ten 80 year olds would die from said exposure to riot control gases. And one last bit: we soldiers wear gas masks and only briefly remove them in the presence of the gas. Imagine being in the center of a crowd of a few thousand with no clear route out when the grenades start going off. Panic leads to hyperventilation, and I sure as hell wouldn't want that when my lungs are saturated with concentrated smoke.

P.s.- CS gas can indeed burn the respiratory system

I agree that it has some potential to kill, but it requires certain things to happen like a "perfect storm". All the dominoes have to fall correctly and up to this point it simply has not happened. For the most part a canister will disipate long before it can do serious harm to anyone.

Edit:

Also I wasn't merely speaking of gas chambers in basic training/ boot camp or even just the ones in the Armed Forces of the US that happen as part of annual training, I'm refering to the whole history of riot control agents. Period.

CSI, the outfit producing this very dangerous tear gas containing the toxic CS component, prominently flies an Israeli flag at its manufacturing site in Jamestown, PA. There is, in other words, a direct Israeli connection to the maiming of Egyptian protesters today as there has been for years in Palestine.

"Although described as a non-lethal weapon for crowd control, many studies have raised doubts about this classification. As well as creating severe pulmonary damage, CS can also significantly damage the heart and liver.[9]

On September 28, 2000, Prof. Dr. Uwe Heinrich released a study commissioned by John C. Danforth, of the United States Office of Special Counsel, to investigate the use of CS by the FBI at the Branch Davidians' Mount Carmel compound. He concluded that the lethality of CS used would have been determined mainly by two factors: whether gas masks were used and whether the occupants were trapped in a room. He suggests that if no gas masks were used and the occupants were trapped, then, "...there is a distinct possibility that this kind of CS exposure can significantly contribute to or even cause lethal effects."[1]

Many reports have associated CS exposure with miscarriages.[9] This is consistent with its reported clastogenic effect (abnormal chromosome change) on mammalian cells.

When CS is metabolized, cyanide can be detected in human tissue.[9] According to the United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, CS emits "very toxic fumes" when heated to decomposition, and at specified concentrations CS gas is an immediate danger to life and health. They also state that those exposed to CS gas should seek medical attention immediately.[2]

In Israel, CS gas was reported to be the cause of death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah in December 31, 2010.[10] although the Israel Defence Forces has questioned the veracity of the report."-taken from wiki

Why are we stamping these with 'made in USA' and then sending them out for other countries to use?

On my weber grill and Craftsman wrenches? Sure, put a USA flag on.

On a wepon that'll be used against rabble-rousers (however you care to define that) in other parts of the world that are already pretty anti-American and are just itching for a reason to be more pissed at the USA? Meh, let's leave it off.